In platform offshore petroleum production, the petroleum usually travels from the formation to the platform in a production line. Between the floor of the ocean or lake and the platform the production line is generally encased in one or more concentric casing pipes. The space between these casings and the production line is filled with concrete or grout to provide strength. Access to the production line between the platform and the bottom is thus prevented.
This lack of access can prove to be problematic in the event of a blow out. In a blow out, control of the petroleum exiting the well is lost. Such loss of control may result in the loss of a large quantity of petroleum, which may ignite. The fires resulting from such blow outs can be quite ferocious because of the enormous amount of fuel being fed to the fire by the well. The heat generated by these fires can prevent, or greatly inhibit, approach of the platform or portions thereof by firefighters. The fires may also render on deck blow out preventers inaccessible or inoperable if such preventers are in place. Unless the well has a remotely operable blow out preventer installed in the production line, shutting off the flow of petroleum, and thus getting control of the fire, may be inhibited by the previously described casing.
Therefore, an invention meeting the following objectives is desired.